Umbrella

ABSTRACT

An umbrella having a folding dome rib structure with part of the dome rib structure mushrooming a portion of the umbrella cover as the umbrella is folded. The mushrooming part of the dome rib structure, and the remainder of the dome rib structure, end up side-by-side in a circumferential direction when the umbrella is folded so as to reduce the cross-sectional size of the folded umbrella.

I United States Patent [191 1111 3, Weber 1 1 Nov. 19, 1974 1 UMBRELLA1,223,138 4/1917 Blythe 135/25 R [75] In entor: He nz ber, e Ge ny2,168,188 8/1939 Bernhard 135/26 [73] Assignee: Telesco Brophey Limited,Montreal, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Quebec, Canada 786,138 6/1935France 135/25 Filed: 3, 1973 Primary ExaminerJ. Karl Bell [21] APPL NOJ420,908 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Alan Swabey; Robert E.

Mitchell [30] D F;)rei9g7n2 Ap lication Priority Data 2259885 57]ABSTRACT many An umbrella having a folding dome rib structure with 52us. 01 135/25 R Part 0f the dome Structure a 51 1m. 01 A45b 19/00 theumbrella as the umbrella is The [58] Field of Search 13 5 /2O 26mushrooming part of the dome rib structure, and the l remainder of thedome rib structure, end up side-by- [56] References Cited side in acircumferential direction when the umbrella is folded so as to reducethe cross-sectional size of the UNITED STATES PATENTS folded umbrella805,957 11/1905 Hoffman 135/25 R 974,211 11/1910 Olsson 135/25 R 7Claims, 4 Drawlllt; Flgures UMBRELLA BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1.Field of the Invention This invention relates to an umbrella, and moreparticularly, to an umbrella of the type which can be collapsed to forma relatively small package when not in use.

2. Description of the Prior Art One known type of collapsible umbrellaemploys a parallelogram frame structure to support an umbrella cover.This type of umbrella has foldable rather than telescopic dome ribswhich makes it rather easy to open and close. It is preferable toprovide this type of umbrella with means for forming the cover, near thecrown of the umbrella, into a mushroom shape when folding the umbrella.These mushroom forming means properly shape the cover for insertion intoa carrying case and for providing a wet cover with an opportunity todry. In addition, these means minimize pinching of the cover which couldlead to its tearing.

Suitable means for forming the cover into a mushroom shape, as theumbrella is folded, are shown in a copending US. Pat. application, Ser.No. 349,006, filed Apr. 9, 1973. These means consist of dome ribs madein two sections with the section nearest the crown of the umbrella madein two parts and adapted to be folded outwardly. These foldable partsform a portion of the cover into a mushroom shape when folding outwardlyas the umbrella is folded.

One disadvantage to this structure, however, is that the folded dome ribsections lie side-by-side radially and thus increase the cross-sectionalsize of the folded umbrella.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides structure whichreduces the cross-sectional size of the folded umbrella while stillpermitting formation of a portion of the cover into a mushroom shapeduring folding.

The present invention is particularly directed toward an umbrella framehaving a stick with foldable dome ribs extending substantially radiallyfrom the stick. Each dome rib consists of first and second sectionspivotably joined together. The first dome rib section, adjacent thestick, consists of first and second parts pivotably joined together. Thefirst dome rib section is laterally offset from the second dome ribsection where they join together.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described indetail having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial elevational view of the umbrella in an openedcondition;

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the umbrella in an opened condition;

FIG. 3 is a partial elevational view of the umbrella in a foldedcondition; and

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the umbrella in a folded condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, theumbrella has a stick 1 composed of two telescoping sections 2, 3.Section 3 can have a polygonal cross-section, and the lower end ofsection 2, the remainder of which is of circular crosssection, can alsohave a polygonal cross-section to prevent the two sections from rotatingwith respect to each other. A catch 4 on the lower end of section 2maintains the sections in an extended position. A handle, not shown, isat the bottom of section 3 and a crown 6 is at the top of section 2.

Dome ribs 7 are pivotably connected to a tie flange 8 on crown 6. Thedome ribs 7 extend substantially radially from the crown, and areuniformly, angularly spaced about the crown. Each dome rib 7 is made oftwo sections 7a, 7b. Dome rib section 7a, nearest crown 6, is made oftwo parts T T pivotably connected together by a hinge pinl2. Part Tnearest the crown 6, is preferably made from a steel wire which has aslight, outwardly extending bend 11 near hinge pin 12. Part T ispreferably made from a member 60 having a U- shaped cross-section. PartT is slightly longer than part T Dome rib section 7b preferablycomprises a steel wire extending from a bracket 14, to the side of whichbracket 14, section 7a is hinged by pin 17. Thus, the end of section 7ais located laterally of the adjacent end of section 7b. Preferably, theweb of member 60, forming part T is cut back in the vicinity of hingepin 17 forming two projecting legs 61. The legs 61 are bent to lie flatone upon the other and to be offset with respect to the side of part Tadjacent side surface 14' of bracket 14. This offset provides a spacebetween sections 7a and 7b when the umbrella is folded as will bedescribed.

The umbrella has a support system S which supports the dome ribs 7 andcontrols their folding motion. The support system includes stretchermembers 25, each pivotably connected at one end to a dome rib at a hingepoint 16 on bracket 14. The other end of each stretcher member 25 ispivotably connected to a tie flange 26 on a main runner 24 which slideson stick 1. A strut 29 is hinged at one end to a tie flange 28 on anauxiliary runner 27, and at its other end to stretcher member 25 athinge point 30. Auxiliary runner 27 also slides on stick 1, and islocated between crown 6 and main runner 24. The support system Sincludes a link member 31 which extends substantially parallel tostretcher member 25 and is hinged at one end to strut 29 at hinge point33, and is hinged at its other end to bracket 14 by hinge pin 17.Bracket 14 is preferably of U-shaped cross-section, and the other end oflink 31 sits inside the bracket 14. Thus, with this arrangement,

one pin 17 connects both link 31 and legs 61 to the bracket. Link 31 ispreferably made from steel wire with the ends flattened and pierced.Strut 29 is prefera bly made from a member having a U-shapedcrosssection so as to at least partly receive link 31 when the umbrellais folded.

The umbrella has a cover 20, secured to crown 6, bracket 14 and ends 23of dome rib section 7b. The cover 20 is also attached to rib section 7ain the vicinity of hinge point 12 joining parts T and T The umbrellaalso'has a locking key 37 on main runher 24 which maintains the umbrellain an open position.

To close the umbrella, key 37 is actuated, permitting main runner 24 tobe moved down the stick 1 towards the handle. As the runner 24 movesdown, the support system S" folds towards stick 1. At the end of theoperation, the dome ribs 7 are grouped about the stick 1 substantiallyparallel thereto. To collapse the umbrella, the group of dome ribs arethen held at their lower end and crown 6 is pushed toward the umbrellahandle. Parts 2, 3 of the stick 1 telescope, and parts T and T of ribsection 7a fold outwardly to a position shown by dotted lines in FIG. 1,forming an angle a open toward the stick 1. This automatically causesthat portion of the cover between crown 6 and brackets 14 to assume amushroom shape. Movement of slide 24 toward crown 6 causes part T tomove in toward slide 1 and to have part T nest in part T substantiallyparallel, along with part T to stick 1. Because of the laterally offsetmounting between dome rib sections 7a and 7b at hinge pin 17, folded andnested parts T T end up alongside dome rib section 7b, which liessubstantially parallel to stick 1, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thus, theempty angular space B between adjacent dome ribs 7 is utilized toreceive a portion of the frame thereby reducing the cross-sectional areaof the folded umbrella.

Because of the offset of legs 61, a gap is provided between adjacentsections 7a, 7b when the umbrella has been folded. The gaps receivefolds of cover 20. Additional space is provided for folded covermaterial since the wire of section 7b is narrower than bracket 14 andthus farther away from section 7a than the bracket is. A usual smallamount of play in the mounting of hinge pin 17 also allows sections 7a,7b to move or twist slightly apart to accommodate portions of foldedcover 20 therebetween. Also, during folding, runners 24 and 27 can twistslightly on stick 1 providing additional space between folded rib partsto accommodate cover material. If still more space for folded covermaterial is required, the hinge points of the dome ribs 7 to the crown 6can be offset with respect to the hinge points of respective stretchermembers to runner 24 by a distance M" as shown in FIG. 2.

The umbrella can be opened by reversing the closing sequence. I claim:

1. An umbrella frame having a stick, foldable dome ribs extendingsubstantially radially from the stick, each dome rib consisting of firstand second sections pivotably joined together, the first dome ribsection, adjacent the stick consisting offirst and second partspivotably joined together, the first dome rib section being laterallyoffset from the second dome rib section where they join together.

2. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first partcomprises a member having a U-shaped cross-section, the second partsized to nest in the first part.

3. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 2, wherein it is the first partof the first section which is joined to the second section.

4. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein the member has twoprojecting legs, offset to one side, by which the first section isjoined to the side of the second section.

5. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 2, including a stretcher membersupporting each dome rib and pivotably connected to a main runnerslidable on the stick, the connection point of each dome rib to thestick being circumferentially offset with respect to the connectionpoint of each respective stretcher member to the main runner.

6. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 2, including a stretcher membersupporting each dome rib, a strut extending from each stretcher member,a link extending substantially parallel to the stretcher member betweenthe strut and the second dome rib section, the pin pivotably joining thefirst and second sections, also joining the link to the second section.

7. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 2, in combination with a coverattached to the dome ribs and the stick.

1. An umbrella frame having a stick, foldable dome ribs extending substantially radially from the stick, each dome rib consisting of first and second sections pivotably joined together, the first dome rib section, adjacent the stick consisting of first and second parts pivotably joined together, the first dome rib section being laterally offset from the second dome rib section where they join together.
 2. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first part comprises a member having a U-shaped cross-section, the second part sized to nest in the first part.
 3. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 2, wherein it is the first part of the first section which is joined to the second section.
 4. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein the member has two projecting legs, offset to one side, by which the first section is joined to the side of the second section.
 5. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 2, including a stretcher member supporting each dome rib and pivotably connected to a main runner slidable on the stick, the connection point of each dome rib to the stick being circumferentially offset with respect to the connection point of each respective stretcher member to the main runner.
 6. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 2, including a stretcher member supporting each dome rib, a strut extending from each stretcher member, a link extending substantially parallel to the stretcher member between the strut and the second dome rib section, the pin pivotably joining the first and second sections, also joining the link to the second section.
 7. An umbrella frame as claimed in claim 2, in combination with a cover attached to the dome ribs and the stick. 